


stellar blessing

by discordiansamba



Series: desert born [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 07:52:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16081733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discordiansamba/pseuds/discordiansamba
Summary: Sometimes, there are no good choices.(companion fic to desert blessing, from Krolia's POV)





	stellar blessing

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all, I'm back from vacation, and also back with the latest entry in the desert born series! Time for that promised Krolia POV fic, to go along with the one for Keith's father! This one is equal parts prequel and sequel to desert born- it touches on events that happen after Keith becomes a paladin. Hopefully everyone picks up on the hint on how major timeline events have changed, but if not, have no fear, because this is far from the end!
> 
> What's next? Why, that's the long awaited Keith POV, of course! It will be split into two parts- desert raised, which will cover the events of the desert, and a yet unnamed sequel which will cover his time as a paladin. So look forward to that sometime in the future! There is another fic that I want to start before that one though, but it should also be a pretty good tale, so hopefully you'll look forward to it too~!

"Is it supposed to take this long?"

Heath merely gave her one of those indulging smiles of his. On most occasions, the sight of it would warm something in her, but at the current moment, it just made her feel vaguely annoyed. "We've talked about this. Human babies take a lot longer than Galra babies do."

Frowning, Krolia's brows knit together. Placing a hand over her belly, already so round with child- _their_ child- she thought she felt them kick. Surely they were already ready to come out if they were that active?

"I am not human." She stated, though it was the obvious.

"Maybe so," Heath's smile didn't fade- if anything, it just grew wider, "-but our kid's at least half."

Letting out a low hum, she idly stroked her belly. Normally this would be cause for concern, but she just had to trust Heath was right. It was not as if either of them knew what to expect- though she had been fully aware that the Galra were a versatile species, somehow, it had never occurred to her that she might get pregnant.

But she did not regret it.

This little life growing within her... if finding love in the midst of war had seemed impossible, then becoming a mother had been _unthinkable_. It had never truly been something she'd longed for- she was a solider, fighting a long and arduous war, but one that must be fought. When she'd joined the Blade of Marmora, she knew full well just what it was that she was getting herself into.

She didn't regret it any.

But even a solider as loyal as she could grow weary.

Crashing her ship onto this primitive planet had _not_ been in her plans- nor was being rescued by a friendly local. Heath Kogane, he had given his name as- a pilot, at the local space exploration program, though these humans had yet to leave their own system. He was patient, understanding- and even though their first meeting had been just shy of a disaster, he had nevertheless assisted with her recovery.

Falling in love with him? Definitely not as planned. But it was perhaps the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to her.

Or it had been, until their child.

They had not even been born yet, and they were still so precious to her. Perhaps the true reason she was so impatient was simply because she could not wait to meet them.

"Have you thought about what to name them?" Heath asked.

"Yes." Krolia told him. "I've picked the perfect name."

* * *

He did not let her name him Yorak.

But Keith- Keith was an acceptable name as well.

* * *

"You know, he has your eyes."

Looking towards her partner, Krolia frowned. "I believe he takes more after you."

"I don't know about that." Heath told her, gaze still transfixed upon their infant son. They were both leaning over his cradle, staring down at him as if he were the most wondrous creature in the world.

(He was. He was theirs.)

"Maybe he's not purple," Heath continued, "-but I'm pretty sure he takes after you more."

Watching as her husband gave Keith one of his fingers, he wrapped his tiny hand around it, making a small noise. According to Heath, he didn't sound _quite_ like a normal baby, but she had been more concerned at first with his size. He had seemed... so _small_ to her, especially given how long she had been pregnant with him- five whole months, unthinkable for a Galra child.

It was only Heath's reassurances that everything was fine that calmed her down.

He'd been more concerned with all the _teeth_. She had assured him that was normal for a Galra infant. Keith's were blunt, square, like his father's. He simply wasn't supposed to have them yet.

"It is for the best." Krolia remarked, giving her infant son one of her own fingers. He wrapped his other hand around it, making another tiny noise, the likes of which she had only begun to identify. Pleased, she thought.

Looking up at her, Heath arched a brow. "That he takes after you?"

Meeting his eyes, Krolia didn't even blink. "That he is not purple."

Letting out a low hum, Heath dropped his gaze. "Yer probably right about that."

It was something they had both discussed- what to do if Keith had come out looking more Galra. A few small abnormalities could be covered up, explained away- but purple skin and yellow sclera could not. When he had been born looking as human as he had, she had breathed a sigh of relief.

Her son could live a normal life.

She did not want to deny him that. A normal, _peaceful_ life- something that had seemed like such an impossible dream to her at one time. On Earth, she had a chance to grant Keith that- but only if he managed to blend in.

There were some downsides to having landed on a primitive planet.

Oblivious to this, Keith began to nibble on his father's finger. Making a pained face, Heath carefully pried it out of his mouth. His teeth might be blunt, but he could bite quite hard. "Bit of a biter."

"It is normal for Galra children." Krolia noted, giving her son her own finger in her husband's stead, before he could begin to cry. Her skin was thick, so his tiny teeth would be unable to hurt her. "Is it not so for human infants?"

"Not when they're this young, not usually." Heath remarked. "At least we won't have to deal with teething."

"Yes, teething sounds... unpleasant." Krolia frowned, recalling what she had read of it in the parenting books that Heath had brought in from town. While Galra infants shed their baby teeth within their first two years, there was nothing comparable to _teething_.

For what felt like a long time, they did nothing but watch their son in silence. He was a wonder to them both, a little blessing that neither of them had ever expected. When he nodded off, she leaned down to kiss his forehead, before drawing away, looking back towards her partner.

"We should take him to see the blue lion."

He blinked at the suddenness of her words, but then simply nodded. "If that's what you want. How 'bout this weekend?"

"Yes," she said, nodding her head, "-that sounds acceptable."

The blue lion of Voltron... to be able to see two lions within her lifetime, she couldn't help but feel truly blessed. She only wished that the circumstances were better.

Nevertheless, she wished to share it with her child. This was the universe's hope, what she was here to protect. It, and him.

She wondered if Kolivan had any luck with coming up with a plan to steal back the red lion from the Empire's hands. The fact that it was located on Sendak's ship would prove a challenge- out of all the Galra Commanders, Sendak was by far the fiercest. And unlike Ranveig, who was of a similar temperament, they had not managed to insert any Blades within his chain of command.

Zarkon sought a paladin for it among the Galra. But the red lion had once been piloted by the king of Altea, before his death at Zarkon's hands. She doubted it would ever allow itself to be piloted by a Galra.

There was much that wasn't understood about the lions, but the bond between a lion and its paladin ran deep. All knew that. It was why Kolivan feared the one day, Zarkon would find the black lion once again. Perhaps the emperor himself believed it destroyed, but Kolivan never did- the lions of Voltron were not something that could be so easily destroyed.

Regardless, Zarkon had not yet found a paladin that the red lion would accept. He'd even sent prisoners, but it had taken to none of them. Even Haggar, with all her power, could not break the particle barrier that protected it.

So for now, it merely served as a trophy. A reminder to all who dared oppose him. Here is your last hope- it is _ours_.

(It would never be theirs.)

Stroking her son's hair, she prayed that someday, he would live in a world where the Galra Empire was nothing but a crumbled ruin.

* * *

They found Earth for a second time.

This time, she knew that she couldn't stay. Heath's injury had served as a wake up call- if they found Earth once, they would be able to find it again.

And this time had been far too close already.

If she wanted to keep her family safe, then leaving was her only option. It was not a decision she made lightly- she knew if she left, there was a very real chance she might never be able to return. Keith would grow up without her.

But at least he would be _safe_.

It took her a little while to fully repair the scout ship. She had to pull parts from the other, remaining ship, gutting her own for what few salvageable parts she could find. The end result was a bit of a mess, but it would serve to get her to the closest Blade of Marmora rally point. From there, she could report back to Kolivan, and determine what to do next.

She had no plans to tell him about Keith.

She _would_ tell him about Heath, to an extent. She would need to explain why she had left her blade behind- and the excuse that she had left it in the hands of the Earthling that had assisted her, and knew of the blue lion, would suffice. It could serve as an early warning sign, should any more scout ships break through the atmosphere.

Kolivan wouldn't like it, but he would accept it.

Besides, he had known her for long enough to recognize the fondness that touched the corner of her eyes whenever she spoke of him. Kolivan was no fool.

She also left Heath with a vial of quintessence- the healing variety. She had salvaged it from her ship when she'd first crashed, but had decided to allow her injuries to heal naturally. Earth was a peaceful planet, secure- there was no need to rush the healing process. It was rare that she was given time to recover like this, so given the chance, she'd take it.

She hoped that Heath wouldn't have to use it. Neither of them knew what it might do to Keith, given his hybrid physiology- she didn't even know if it would _work_ , not when he looked so human. She knew that he was more Galra than he appeared, but most of that was behavioral- not physical.

Beyond that, if he ever _did_ have to use it, it would mean that Keith was in dire straits. While Earth was a peaceful planet, it was not without its dangers- there were wild animals, as well as crime, not to mention a whole host of illness that Keith might pick up. Many were treatable, but others were not.

But she trusted Heath to take care of him.

She didn't know if he would ever tell him about her. They hadn't had time to discuss it. Whatever he decided, she would be fine with it- even if it meant Keith would never know anything about her, about his heritage.

In spite of everything, she still took pride in being Galra.

But beyond that, she was _Blade of Marmora_. And while this environment wasn't one that she would ever wish to raise her son in, given the choice, she couldn't deny that she found pride in those that she worked with, in those that she had trained. In what they stood for.

But because she was Blade of Marmora, it also meant taking risks.

Kolivan wanted her to slip into Ranveig's camp, to gain the trust of his inner circle. They already had some agents in his camp, but they were all low rank- just barely above foot solders. Given his placement at the fringes of imperial territory, it was critical that they get someone in there would could track his movements as soon as decisions were made, not after commands leaked down to the enlisted.

It was dangerous, risky- but she had also spent a lifetime doing this sort of work. And doing what she could to thwart the expansion of the Empire sounded like a good way to keep her loved ones safe.

Even if she never saw them again.

* * *

She found herself keeping track of time based upon how old Keith would be.

October 23rd. His birthday.

Meaningless, out in space, but the first thing she had done was determine what day it would fall upon the Galra Standard Calendar. She would never celebrate, not daring to, but she would always know.

Today he turned three. Today he turned seven- ten, fourteen, seventeen.

Today he turned eighteen.

* * *

Something told her that this wasn't a standard check-in.

For one thing, it was too early. For another, _Kolivan_ had initiated it.

No, she sensed this was about something else.

"I will only ask this of you one time, Krolia," Kolivan's tone was always stern, but here it seemed more stern than usual, "-did you leave anything out of your report on Earth?"

Her first instinct was to lie. Her second was to realize that if Kolivan was asking that question, then she had good reason to believe he somehow knew about Keith. She didn't know _how_ , and it was that uncertainty that drove her to ultimately tell the truth.

"Yes." Krolia reported. "I did."

Kolivan didn't react, but he rarely ever did. "Ulaz sends word that there is a child living there, who bears Galra blood. Either you failed to finish off the scouts that Zarkon sent, and they mingled with a local, or the child is yours."

Ulaz? The last she had heard of him, he'd had a post with the druids, working as a technician. It was a high risk position, given that he worked closely not only with the druids, but also Zarkon's witch, Haggar.

It was also vital.

"I did not fail." Krolia stated plainly. "The child is mine."

"You had him with the Earthling."

It was a statement, not a question.

She didn't even blink. "Yes."

Just as Kolivan knew her well enough to know her tells, she knew him just as well. So when the edges of his mouth turned further downwards, she felt something cold grip at her heart, even though she remained as impassive as ever on the outside. Had something happened to Keith?

Had the Empire gone back? Had they found him? What happened to-?

"The father is dead."

And at that, she felt her heart sink.

Heath. Dead.

The words sounded so hollow, _empty_ , but she knew that Kolivan would not lie to her, not like this. He, more than anyone, understood the weight death carried, and would not be speaking of it unless it was the absolute truth as he knew it.

"Dead." Krolia echoed, unable to do much else.

Dead. Gone. She truly would never see him again.

And Keith was alone.

"How did you," and she was not ashamed to admit that her voice faltered here, for even if she had seen many die, she had never loved any of them the same way she had loved Heath, "-how did you come to learn of this?"

What she desperately wanted to ask about was Keith, but she assumed at the very least, if he were dead too, Kolivan would have already informed her of such.

"Have you heard of the Champion?" Kolivan inquired.

She had. It was hard not to. Any talk of humans this far out in space instantly turned her blood cold, and the Champion, she knew, was human.

"He went against orders, and assisted in his escape." Kolivan stated. "He informed Ulaz of a half-Galra child on Earth. He wished to send a message to his mother, to inform her that the father of the child had passed."

She blinked at that. The Champion knew Keith?

Perhaps it was not so strange. Heath had been a pilot for the Galaxy Garrison, and the ship that they had seized when they had taken the three humans off the moon of Pluto bore the Galaxy Garrison insignia.

What caught her attention more was the fact that the Champion knew that Keith was _Galra_.

"Where is the Champion now?" Krolia inquired.

"On his way back to Earth." Kolivan stated. "We will have to see if Ulaz's gamble with him paid off."

She did not need to ask to know that meant the Galra Empire was closing in on the blue lion. And that truly was a thought that filled her heart with fear- because not only was Heath dead, not only was Keith alone, but soon he would be in danger.

The same danger she had been trying to protect him _from_ when she'd left.

"What am I to do?"

She couldn't imagine that he would ask her to withdraw from her current post- not after she had managed to gain such high level security clearance. The things Ranveig was working on here... it was imperative that the Blade of Marmora kept track of them.

What she _wanted_ was to leave, to go to Earth, consequences be damned- but she knew that she couldn't do that. If this... _Champion_ knew Keith, then perhaps he was not as alone as she first thought.

"You are to remain at your post, and await further orders." Kolivan stated. "We will discuss any potential consequences for your deception later."

There were still a million more questions that she wished to ask, but she knew she could not. She had already tested Kolivan's faith in her, and she could not do that again. "Understood."

"Good."

And because she knew Kolivan so well, she recognized when those hard lines softened.

"I am sorry for your loss."

"Yes," closing her eyes, Krolia could only see Heath's smile behind them, "-so am I."

* * *

She barely had time to grieve.

She did not understand how, but her cover had been blown. She'd escaped with her life, but just barely- it had been a near thing.

Kolivan had sent her orders. She was to regroup with Ulaz, who had been given a new post in the Thaldycon system, monitoring communications. She did not get a straight answer from him as to why her position had been compromised- it was Ulaz who had informed her instead.

"Your son stole the red lion."

She had nearly choked.

Then she had laughed. Long and hard.

Because that truly, _truly_ sounded like the child Heath would raise. _Their_ child. Details were sparse, but it was easy to imagine the disgruntled expression on Sendak's face as he realized that his pride had been snatched right out from under him.

By one he would call a _halfbreed_ , nonetheless. Obsessed with purity as he was, it would be the ultimate insult.

How they had managed to connect Keith to her, she didn't understand. In spite of the fact that Heath told her once that he took after her, that didn't change the fact that appearance-wise, he barely looked Galra. That said, the last time she had seen Keith, he'd still been in diapers, so a lot could have changed during that time period.

She just didn't think that would.

At least, not under normal circumstances. But with a child that was half-human, it was impossible to say what _normal_ was.

Once she collected herself, Krolia drew in a breath, long and deep. "You're sure?"

"We are sure." Ulaz stated- unmoved, even in face of her fit of laughter. "We managed to intercept communications from Sendak's ship. He demanded that there be an inquiry into where your loyalties lay. Given the timing of it, we assumed it had to be related to your son."

Letting out a low hum, Krolia nodded her head. "That is when you contacted me."

"Yes," Ulaz told her, "-we cannot afford to lose an operative of your capabilities."

He made it sound so cut and dry, without any sentiment. That was simply how things were.

For a moment, she allowed herself to think of Heath. Of his fond smiles, the way he laughed... and then she shoved it deep down, somewhere where it couldn't cause her pain. He was gone, like so many others before him. Dwelling on it would change nothing.

"How is it that you are so sure he stole the lion?" Krolia inquired.

"Reports indicate that Sendak's ship was destroyed." Ulaz stated. "By Voltron."

The implications were not lost on her.

Voltron.

"Are you saying," Krolia began, choosing her words carefully, "-that my son has been chosen to be a paladin?"

Ulaz didn't even so much as blink. "Yes."

A paladin.

Her son was a _paladin_.

She felt her chest swell with something akin to pride. She had always known that Keith was destined for something great, but a paladin of Voltron? It was beyond anything that she could have expected. She wondered which lion had accepted him- Ulaz made it sound as if it were the red lion, but surely, out of all the lions, it would not be that one.

Perhaps the blue lion.

Certainly not the black. She could only imagine that it would be loathe to accept another Galra paladin, even one who only bore half that blood.

"Are we to approach, then?" Krolia asked, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. "These new paladins of Voltron may prove to be vital allies."

Ulaz made no comment on her clear ulterior motives, though he doubtlessly was aware of them. "Kolivan's orders are that we should remain where we are."

"Besides," and there was a hint of amusement to his voice, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes that she was so familiar with, "-if we wait, they will simply come to us."

She never did quite get the chance to ask him what he meant.

* * *

Ulaz was right. They did.

In spite of the empire's attempts to suppress the information, word traveled fast. A Balmera in the Javeeno system, previously under imperial control, had fallen to Voltron. The dying Balmera, on the verge of collapse, had been wholly revived by the Altean princess, awake now after a ten thousand year slumber.

Her _son_ had done that.

Both as a mother, and as a Blade, she was proud.

Maybe he hadn't done it alone, but that didn't change the fact that her son had been involved with the liberation of countless slaves. The Balmera in question had been under Galran control for generations- some would likely be experiencing freedom for the first time.

Thanks in part to her son. Her _half-Galra_ son.

And now they were here.

It could not be anyone else but the paladins of Voltron. If the blue lion had been a sight, then seeing the Castle of Lions, an ancient Altean warship described only in legend, emerge from a wormhole had been enough to momentarily take her breath away.

It was not the sight itself- though the castle-ship was stunning, no doubt about that. But rather, it was what it represented.

Hope.

Fragile and tenuous, but nevertheless, hope.

So she was proud.

Yet at the same time, the feeling settled in her stomach like a cold stone. This was the war that she had been trying to keep Keith _away_ from. It was why she had left.

Now, not only had the war found him, but her choice had left him alone. She didn't know for how long- but for however long it was, it was too long.

She did not expect him to forgive her.

If he even _knew_ her. She had left that part up to Heath. She'd known, when she'd left, that he hadn't been happy about it- he'd never said anything, but she knew him well enough to know. The only thing holding him back was that deep in his heart, he knew she was right. The Galra would not stop.

And they hadn't.

But now, Keith was _here_.

Part of her swore that she could sense him. The rest of her knew that what she was sensing was her own blade, imbued with her life force, passed down and left behind for her son.

"It's Keith."

Ulaz paused in his preparations. They were both fairly certain that the castle-ship could only belong to the paladins of Voltron, but there was no promise that there was not a trap somewhere in this, even if the paladins themselves weren't aware of it.

"Your son?"

Merely nodding her head, Krolia's lips set themselves in a hard line. She wanted to do nothing more than go over there herself, to see him- but Ulaz was one of the few Blades that outranked her, so the task would fall on him.

Ulaz merely hummed. "Go to him, then."

Blinking, Krolia turned on her heel, looking back at him. "You're certain?"

"I would not say it if I wasn't." Ulaz told her, nodding his head. "Go. You've been wanting to see him all this time, haven't you?"

"I don't even know if he'll know me." Krolia admitted.

"Backing down doesn't seem like you." Ulaz noted.

Frowning, she narrowed her eyes. There was a sharp retort on the edge of her tongue, but she knew Ulaz was right. This wasn't like her. It was true- it had been her decision that had resulted in Keith being left alone, and she needed to accept that, and the consequences it resulted in.

Exhaling, she gazed up at the Altean castle-ship, feeling the pulse of her blade.

"I'll go."

* * *

She went. She made no attempts to hide herself. If she wished it, she could gain access to the bridge without them ever knowing they had been boarded.

She went unmasked.

She could feel the pulse of her blade, the way it spiked. It, and the one who wielded it, were coming closer. Without realizing it, she caught herself holding her breath.

Footsteps. Her ears twitched, picking up on the quiet sound. From the hall up ahead. She couldn't help but notice that they didn't sound armored.

He was coming. Her son.

Keith, who she had not seen since he was a baby. Who had grown up without her. Without his father, though she did not know for how long. It was enough to make her almost want to turn back- what right did she have to show up and try to claim him now? She had abandoned him, there was no changing that.

All the pretty words in the world couldn't change that. And she had never been very good at pretty words. Heath had. She loved him for it.

Almost too quickly, there he was. The last time she had seen him, he had been just a babe. He'd begun to crawl, but hadn't yet started to walk. She remembered how Heath had joked that he thought he would learn to run before he learned how to walk. He had always seemed in such a hurry to get places, even though as far as they knew, he had nowhere to actually go.

She could tell he'd run here.

Heath had been right. He _had_ taken after her. She'd just underestimated by how much.

No wonder Sendak had recognized him so quickly as her son. The stark black color of his hair hadn't changed since she had seen him last, but the son that she had left behind, who had once been so _human_ , was now just as Galra as she.

But it _was_ him.

She didn't need the markings on his cheeks, ones clearly passed down from her, to realize that. Nor did she need the blade he wore at his waist, hitched to his father's belt, that she could feel her own life force from, pulsing stronger than ever now that she was so near.

(She wondered if Keith could feel it too. He'd always seemed drawn to the blue lion as a babe, always leaving her wondering.)

Nor did she need the way the sight of her took his breath away, nor the gleam of _longing_ that surfaced in his eyes- their color, sclera aside, unchanged from how she remembered it.

"...mom?"

He _knew_ her.

She breathed his name, escaping before she could stop it. "Keith."

Eighteen. He had grown so much. Shorter than either herself or his father, but he had been so small as a baby, that this did not surprise her. The red and white of his jacket and his boots- it reminded her with a pang of Heath's hoverbike, that had been his pride and joy.

She recalled how he had stolen Galra parts to improve it, and she recalled how she had helped him. She wondered if he'd ever been able to teach Keith how to ride it.

When had he died?

"You're here." Keith's voice cracked, almost in disbelief. "You're- it's really you."

She felt something in her soften, any thoughts of the mission forgotten. Taking a tentative step forward, it turned into another, then another- before she knew it, she was standing in front of him, her breath still caught in her throat at the sight of him.

Her son.

Her son, who she thought she would never see again.

Cupping his face with her hands, she couldn't help but take note of the rough texture of his skin, so much like her own. When he had been a babe, she had always been so gentle with him, afraid that she might hurt him with her claws. Now it seemed she no longer had to hold on to such fears.

Her touch was gentle anyways.

"I should say the same of you." She whispered, only dimly aware that they were no longer alone. Those who had joined them hung back, as if unwilling to intrude upon the scene. "I never thought- I never thought I would be able to see you again."

"Well," cracking a smile, that was so much like Heath's that it made her heart sting anew, "-I'm here. Probably not like you remember me, but..."

There was so much vulnerability in those words.

Dropping her hands from his face, she pulled him into an embrace, before she was even fully aware of what it was that she was doing. She didn't know what had happened to cause him to take on this appearance, but it had to have been nothing good.

She hadn't been there for that either.

"Keith, I'm," she began, hearing her own voice crack, "-I'm sorry. Your father, I heard..."

Though hesitant at first, she slowly felt his arms wrap around her in turn. She could feel the faintest prick of claws, wondering if Keith too, had to learn to be gentle. "Don't be. It's not your fault."

"I should have been there." Krolia told him. "I never should have left."

"Dad told me you didn't have a choice." Keith said, his head buried in her chest. He was still young for a Galra, but in human terms, he was nearing the cusp of adulthood. But if he felt any embarrassment at showing such a scene to the other paladins- and the Altean princess, she noted, out of the corner of her eye- he either wasn't showing it, or just hadn't thought about it.

Either way, he held her like he was afraid she might disappear.

"I always had a choice." Krolia half whispered. "I just made the wrong one."

She'd always found Heath's round ears so quaint, much as they impeded his ability to hear. But even though he now possessed ears much like her own, this close, it wouldn't have made any difference if he didn't.

Pulling away, Keith looked up at her. She caught the brief flicker of a third eyelid, before it receded. It was an adaptation that she didn't possess, and its presence lead her to wonder just how _long_ Keith had possessed a Galra appearance.

If he'd ever gotten the chance for a normal life at all.

But no matter what he looked like, it didn't change the fact that he was her son, and that she loved him. So much more than she ever thought possible.

And she thought quite a bit.

"You helped keep the blue lion safe." Keith told her. "And now we're here."

 _ **I'm**_ _here_ , was the unspoken implication.

Carefully touching his face, she let the tips of her claws lightly trail where they brushed the back of his head. Her mother had once done this to her, when she was a child- and though he was a good deal older than she had been when it had been done to her last, he nonetheless leaned into it, eyes flickering closed. Relaxed.

The number of questions she wanted to ask was seemingly endless. About his father. About him. How his appearance had changed. How he had gotten this far out in space. How he knew the Champion. If he'd ever made any friends.

How long she had left him alone.

But none of that mattered, not now, not in this instant.

"Yes," she said, her voice soft, "-you are."


End file.
